New Jersey district proposes random drug, alcohol tests

A New Jersey school district is proposing random alcohol and drug testing for thousands of high school students who could lose school privileges and be forced to undergo counseling if they test positive.

Parents protested at a school board meeting Monday, where a preliminary plan was outlined that would affect 5,000 students at the Demarest and Old Tappan high schools.

The district says students would not be suspended and the drug test results would not go on their disciplinary records, but the penalties and loss of privileges become more severe if additional positive results are discovered.